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The Search for God in the University
James J. Bacik
Introduction
1. Elizabeth Johnson invites us to join in the quest for the living God that has continued for over half century
(a revolution in the theology of God), opening up new frontiers for faith and action. The process begins with
concrete experiences, leads to reflection which grounds spiritual growth and concrete action (a movement
from heart to head to hands). Today we search for God in the encounter with the university, science,
feminism, world religions, popular religion and human suffering cf. Quest for the Living God: Mapping
Frontiers in the Theology of God.
2. "God" is the word we use to point to the Mystery that surrounds us. The word keeps alive the great
questions of meaning, purpose and identity. If the word "God" disappeared, we would revert to the status of
sophisticated animals. Atheists help keep the word alive. "God" is the last word before silence, cf. Karl
Rahner Foundations of Christian Faith.
3. The university fosters the human quest for wisdom, the critical reflection on the great questions, the
dialogue between competing worldviews, intelligent discourse about how to interpret and improve the
human condition. The university keeps alive the classical criticisms of theism and welcomes contemporary
criticisms of belief. The university is also home to theologians, philosophers of religion and others who
attempt to respond to these challenges. The university encourages encounters between diverse viewpoints
and dialogue between atheistic and theistic positions.
4. Searching: we humans are infinite searchers with finite capabilities. We ask questions because we know
something of the subject but not everything. We are able to ask ultimate and radical questions about
ourselves and our relationship to the transcendent. In human development we detect a process of moving
from a simple naive understanding of God, through a critical stage of radical questioning that can lead to a
more enlightened second naivete, a deeper purified, refined understanding of God. cf. Paul Ricoeur The
Symbolism of Evil.
I. God and Personal Growth
A. Challenges
1. Ludwig Feuerbach (1804-1872) baptized Catholic, raised Protestant, served as a pastor; student at
University of Berlin heard lectures by Hegel (1770-1830) who developed a comprehensive modern
philosophy of the Absolute Spirit present as ultimate reality in all the world; became a leader of the
left wing Hegelians which included Karl Marx Feuerbach was the father of modern atheism. His aim
was "to change the friends of God into friends of man, believers into thinkers, worshipers into
workers, candidates for the other world into students of this world, Christians who on their
confession are half-animals and half-angels into men - whole men." cf. The Essence of Christianity.
2. Friedrich Nietzsche (1944-1900) - Son of a pastor, raised as a Christian, received a classical education,
influenced by Schopenhauer's pessimism, friend of the composer Wagner, mentally ill last 10 years
of his life. "I beseech you my brothers remain faithful to the earth and do not believe those who
speak to you of otherworldly hopes, "cf. Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Parable of the madman, spoken to
comfortable atheists, gives a sense of the consequences of the death of God (cf. The Gay Science). It
would take a superman to live in this world without God. The challenge of the Eternal Return,
repeating one's life in all details forever. He is the prophet of nihilism.
3. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) - raised a Jew, knew the Bible, was taken to Catholic Mass, became a
doctor, wrote the Interpretation of Dreams. Talk of God and revelation is simply a projection and
keeps human beings in an infantile state, cf. The Future of An Illusion. He was fascinated by
religion in his later life, especially the figure of Moses.
4. Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980) - "Man is a useless passion;" belief destroys freedom. Atheism makes
clear we are condemned to be free. cf. Being and Nothingness.
B. Theistic Response cf. Does God Exist? By Hans Kung
1. The need to purify and refine our image of God in response to the critics who claim belief is
dehumanizing (the hermeneutics of suspicion).
2. Projection is involved in our image of God and belief certainly has kept some people in an infantile
state with superstitious notions.
3. That God fulfills the deepest desires of the human heart does not prove that God does not exist.
4. The Father of Jesus has given us gifts and calls us to develop our talents and use them for the
common good. Our vocation is to be holy, to develop a proper self-actualization; to be authentic
persons (cf. The Ethics of Authenticity by Charles Taylor).
5. Christ the model of full humanity. He is the most free person who ever lived. Freedom is a function
of intimacy and not primarily distance.
6. We must foster positive images of God; the importance of parents (the baptismal blessing of fathers)
and liturgy. Saints are concrete answer to the critics.
II. God and Social Justice.
A. Challenge
1. Karl Marx (1818-1883) - born a Jew, raised a Christian, became an atheist under Feuerbach's
influence, went to Paris and became a socialist and communist; befriended Engels and became
interested in the working poor; in 1848 wrote the Manifesto of the Communist Party. Religion with
its claim to supernatural revelation is dehumanizing. "It is the opium of the people. The abolition of
religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness." His great hope
for human progress was the proletarian revolution. Philosophers have only interpreted the world;
"the point however is to change it." In the classless society religion will simply wither away.
2. Albert Camus (1913-1960) - "The rebellion against God and the sacred in Western secular society
reveals true values and a morality that can stand as a self sufficient humanism." cf. Myth of
Sisyphus.
3. Jean-Francios Lyotard claims that meta-narratives are not credible in postmodern world, cf. The
Postmodern Condition.
B. Responses.

The Search for God in the University
James J. Bacik
Introduction
1. Elizabeth Johnson invites us to join in the quest for the living God that has continued for over half century
(a revolution in the theology of God), opening up new frontiers for faith and action. The process begins with
concrete experiences, leads to reflection which grounds spiritual growth and concrete action (a movement
from heart to head to hands). Today we search for God in the encounter with the university, science,
feminism, world religions, popular religion and human suffering cf. Quest for the Living God: Mapping
Frontiers in the Theology of God.
2. "God" is the word we use to point to the Mystery that surrounds us. The word keeps alive the great
questions of meaning, purpose and identity. If the word "God" disappeared, we would revert to the status of
sophisticated animals. Atheists help keep the word alive. "God" is the last word before silence, cf. Karl
Rahner Foundations of Christian Faith.
3. The university fosters the human quest for wisdom, the critical reflection on the great questions, the
dialogue between competing worldviews, intelligent discourse about how to interpret and improve the
human condition. The university keeps alive the classical criticisms of theism and welcomes contemporary
criticisms of belief. The university is also home to theologians, philosophers of religion and others who
attempt to respond to these challenges. The university encourages encounters between diverse viewpoints
and dialogue between atheistic and theistic positions.
4. Searching: we humans are infinite searchers with finite capabilities. We ask questions because we know
something of the subject but not everything. We are able to ask ultimate and radical questions about
ourselves and our relationship to the transcendent. In human development we detect a process of moving
from a simple naive understanding of God, through a critical stage of radical questioning that can lead to a
more enlightened second naivete, a deeper purified, refined understanding of God. cf. Paul Ricoeur The
Symbolism of Evil.
I. God and Personal Growth
A. Challenges
1. Ludwig Feuerbach (1804-1872) baptized Catholic, raised Protestant, served as a pastor; student at
University of Berlin heard lectures by Hegel (1770-1830) who developed a comprehensive modern
philosophy of the Absolute Spirit present as ultimate reality in all the world; became a leader of the
left wing Hegelians which included Karl Marx Feuerbach was the father of modern atheism. His aim
was "to change the friends of God into friends of man, believers into thinkers, worshipers into
workers, candidates for the other world into students of this world, Christians who on their
confession are half-animals and half-angels into men - whole men." cf. The Essence of Christianity.
2. Friedrich Nietzsche (1944-1900) - Son of a pastor, raised as a Christian, received a classical education,
influenced by Schopenhauer's pessimism, friend of the composer Wagner, mentally ill last 10 years
of his life. "I beseech you my brothers remain faithful to the earth and do not believe those who
speak to you of otherworldly hopes, "cf. Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Parable of the madman, spoken to
comfortable atheists, gives a sense of the consequences of the death of God (cf. The Gay Science). It
would take a superman to live in this world without God. The challenge of the Eternal Return,
repeating one's life in all details forever. He is the prophet of nihilism.
3. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) - raised a Jew, knew the Bible, was taken to Catholic Mass, became a
doctor, wrote the Interpretation of Dreams. Talk of God and revelation is simply a projection and
keeps human beings in an infantile state, cf. The Future of An Illusion. He was fascinated by
religion in his later life, especially the figure of Moses.
4. Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980) - "Man is a useless passion;" belief destroys freedom. Atheism makes
clear we are condemned to be free. cf. Being and Nothingness.
B. Theistic Response cf. Does God Exist? By Hans Kung
1. The need to purify and refine our image of God in response to the critics who claim belief is
dehumanizing (the hermeneutics of suspicion).
2. Projection is involved in our image of God and belief certainly has kept some people in an infantile
state with superstitious notions.
3. That God fulfills the deepest desires of the human heart does not prove that God does not exist.
4. The Father of Jesus has given us gifts and calls us to develop our talents and use them for the
common good. Our vocation is to be holy, to develop a proper self-actualization; to be authentic
persons (cf. The Ethics of Authenticity by Charles Taylor).
5. Christ the model of full humanity. He is the most free person who ever lived. Freedom is a function
of intimacy and not primarily distance.
6. We must foster positive images of God; the importance of parents (the baptismal blessing of fathers)
and liturgy. Saints are concrete answer to the critics.
II. God and Social Justice.
A. Challenge
1. Karl Marx (1818-1883) - born a Jew, raised a Christian, became an atheist under Feuerbach's
influence, went to Paris and became a socialist and communist; befriended Engels and became
interested in the working poor; in 1848 wrote the Manifesto of the Communist Party. Religion with
its claim to supernatural revelation is dehumanizing. "It is the opium of the people. The abolition of
religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness." His great hope
for human progress was the proletarian revolution. Philosophers have only interpreted the world;
"the point however is to change it." In the classless society religion will simply wither away.
2. Albert Camus (1913-1960) - "The rebellion against God and the sacred in Western secular society
reveals true values and a morality that can stand as a self sufficient humanism." cf. Myth of
Sisyphus.
3. Jean-Francios Lyotard claims that meta-narratives are not credible in postmodern world, cf. The
Postmodern Condition.
B. Responses.